Former Arizona players in 2025 NCAA Tournament: Paulius Murauskas thriving at Saint Mary's
The Arizona Wildcats are back in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive year.
After a 22-win season and a No. 12 finish in the NCAA NET Rankings, the Wildcats enter March Madness as a No. 4 seed in the East Region. Arizona faces No. 13 Akron in the first round on Friday in Seattle.
With Arizona fans glued to their TVs watching a total of 32 games over the first two days of March Madness, there are multiple storylines to follow — including former Arizona players who are now starring for new teams. Three former Wildcats are poised to play prominent roles in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, including Paulius Murauskas.
Here's a look at former Arizona players in March Madness:
Kylan Boswell, Illinois
A 6-foot-2 guard, Boswell spent his first two seasons at Arizona, averaging 9.6 points and 3.6 assists last season as a sophomore last season. He scored a game-high 20 points in Arizona's first-round 2024 NCAA Tournament win over Long Beach State, but struggled against Dayton (2 points) and Clemson (3 points).
Boswell went "home" in the offseason, transferring to Illinois. He was born in Champaign and lived there through middle school before moving to California. Boswell has had an up-and-down season for the Illini, averaging 11.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists. He's shooting just 22.4% from the 3-point line on 4.1 attempts per game.
You can watch Boswell on Friday when No. 6 Illinois (21-12) faces No. 11 Xavier (22-11) — led by former Arizona coach Sean Miller — in a first-round Midwest Region game in Milwaukee. The game is scheduled to tip off at 6:45 p.m. PT/MST on CBS.
Paulius Murauskas, Saint Mary's
After playing limited minutes for Arizona as a freshman in 2023-24, Paulius Murauskas transferred to Saint Mary's — and he has been a difference-maker for the Gaels. A 6-foot-8 forward from Lithuania, Murauskas is averaging 12.5 points and 8.0 rebounds for the West Coast Conference regular season champions.
Murauskas has had some huge games this season, including 29 points — on 6-of-10 from the 3-point line — in a win over Utah. He was named first team All-WCC and was honored as the WCC's Newcomer of the Year.
You can watch Murauskas play on Friday when No. 7 Saint Mary's (28-5) plays No. 10 Vanderbilt (20-12) in a first-round East Region game in Cleveland. The game is scheduled to tip off at 12:15 p.m. PT/MST on truTV.
Filip Borovicanin, New Mexico
Another one of Tommy Lloyd's big-time international recruits, Filip Borovicanin averaged 2.3 points in limited minutes off the bench for Arizona in 2023-24. He transferred to New Mexico in the offseason and has started 27 games for the Lobos, averaging 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds.
Borovicanin can shoot it, and he will let it fly when his number is called. He scored 18 points against Boise State (3-of-5 from downtown) and 16 against Wyoming (3-of-6 from downtown).
You can watch Borovicanin play on Friday when No. 10 New Mexico (26-7) plays No. 7 Marquette (23-10) in a first-round South Region game in Cleveland. The game is scheduled to tip off at 4:25 p.m. PT/MST on TBS.
Kerr Kriisa, Kentucky
A fifth-year senior, Kriisa last played for Arizona in the 2022-23 season. He transferred to West Virginia last season, then moved on to Kentucky this season. Kriisa suffered a season-ending foot injury against Gonzaga on Dec. 7, but has recently returned to practice in a limited capacity. He plans to return to college for a sixth season.
More Arizona & Big 12 Analysis
-029877d49238355bd3388a94f90e3c72.jpg "Ben Sherman")
Ben Sherman has been covering the sports world for most of his 27-year journalism career, including 17 years with The Oregonian/OregonLive. A basketball junkie, March Madness is his favorite time of the year.